85: Kartarpur Sahib with Abhishek Vaid

The Musafir Stories - India Travel Podcast

In this episode

#Kartarpur #Sikh #Gurunanak #pakistan #sikhism #pilgrimage #border #holy #gurudwara #love #peace #brotherhood

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Winners of the book giveaway contest on the Pondicherry episode: Mohan and Shruti! We will reach out to you shortly!

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This week, The Musafir Stories speaks to Abhishek Vaid, founder of the Untravel Show as he takes us across the Indo-Pak border to the holy gurudwara of Kartarpur Sahib, the place where Guru Nanak spent the last years of his life!

Today's destination: Kartarpur, Pakistan!

Nearest Airport: Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar

Nearest Railway Station: Dera Baba Nanak

Prerequisites : You need an ETA - electronic transfer authorization to travel and passport is mandatory, even though there is no visa stamped on the passport. Look up the process and requirements on https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/

Packing : Avoid carrying anything that you would not carry on a plane (carry-on)

Time of the year : Round the year (but watch out for the political situation and COVID-19!)

Length of the itinerary: 1 day

Itinerary Highlights:

- Start from Amritsar and drive/take local transportation to Dera Baba Nanak.

- Complete your immigration formalities at this post, the experience is very hospitable. One can apply no earlier than 15 days before the planned date of travel.

- A bus ferries you from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur, it is a short journey of 4kms.

- Make sure to carry 20USD/1800INR as the fee has to be paid at Kartarpur.

- Start early so that you get to Kartarpur around 9am. The latest you can get in is about 2pm since you have to return by 4pm IST.

- Each visitor is allowed to carry items up to 7kgs. Cameras and photography is allowed.

- Kartarpur is significant as the first guru and founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak spent the final 18 years of his life here.

- The corridor was opened after years of lobbying by both the governments and important members of the Sikh community.

- The corridor now leads to the Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara which is one of the largest gurdwaras of the world.

- Built in white marble, the gurudwara complex has an elegant and simple look, very different from the Golden temple in Amritsar, one of the other important places of Sikh pilgrimage.

- The gurudwara is an epitome of calmness and tranquility, despite of its size and the crowds of people.

- The main shrine has day long prayers and darshan and the community kitchen/langar severs food to the pilgrims for the full day.

- The complex also has a well that is from the time of Guru Nanak devji, a monument of the Kirpaan or dagger as well as a small market to buy souvenirs. There is also a muslim shrine in the vicinity.

- One of the highpoint of the visit, besides the opportunity to pay homage to Guru Nanak is the chance to interact with Pakistani locals who travel here to interact with folks from across the border.

- The ambience is that of peace, calmness and friendship and very different from the Wagah border where patriotism and aggression is more evident.

- A great opportunity for not just followers of sikhism but others as well to visit a historical and religiously significant place across the border when the option is available!

Links:

Link to the video log:

How an Indian can go to Pakistan | The Kartarpur Corridor Experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcoorOvh5G8

10 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE VISITING KARTARPUR SAHIB | Documents, passport stamping, fees etc:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfGv-TQlIas

Facebook: The Untravel Show (https://www.facebook.com/TheUntravelShow/)

IG: @the.untravel.show (https://www.instagram.com/the.untravel.show/)

Photo by Ali Rizvi on Unsplash

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